Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-08-26
A DEMAND FOR PROOF
MADE UPON BALFOUR BY THE
FRIENDS OF IRELAND.

MADE UPON BAlFOUR BY The
FRIENDS OF IRELAND.
Gladstone Leads in the Fight, but Bal
four Says They Can Not Have It-Con-
trasting Receptions of the Statesmen by
the Crowd at the Parliament House-A
Remarkable Parallel
LONDON, Aug. 26-Gladstone, in the
house OF commons Thursday evening. offered
a resolution setting forth that the govern
ment's action in proclaiming the Irish Ma
tional league was unwise, uni Just and unrea-
sonable, and in submitting his motion, said;
1.-THE viceroy Of Ireland, in declaring that the
league is melting violence, must have acted
upon information. But where is the informa-
tionl If the facts are withheld the opposi
ton must urge upon the house and the gov
eminent three propositions: First, it is
slight and almost an outrage on the dignity
of parliament to suppose that the house was
to discharge as important statutory duty
as granting its sanction to the proclamation
without knowing the grounds for such action
Secondly, it reduces to utter destruction and
dboutuIt1 tHt Hidln tHc BONcl
advanced during the discussion of the crimes
act, and the safeguard which the government
promised through the operation of that act
has proved to be a farce What, he asked,
was the value or meaning of the approval of
parliament given in ignorance of the facts2
Why not follow the course adopted by Wei
lington and Peel in 1929 regarding the Cath
Ole league and suppress the National league
altogether Thirdly, he demanded to know
what would the house think of information
that they know would not bear the light
He had always contended, he said, that the
government was legislating against combine
tons apart from crime, and now was the
governments time and opportunity to prove
him wrong. But no, the government shrank
from the test and declined the challenge To
proclaim the National league was very near
ly approaching declaration of war upon the
Irish people The government was pressing
Ireland very hard, and it was evident that 1t
was intended to work the crimes act by sum
mary jurisdiction He hoped the Irish peo-
pie woald continue to bear the pressure; they
would not he declared, have TO suffer long.
The people of Ireland believed that the pol
icy of the government did not have the sane
ton of the British nation. The governments
action showed that its strength was fading,
and Ireland seeing this, TRUSTED that the
English nation would fulfill her reasonable
wishes
Balfour said the difficulty was not in find
ing evidence to justify the proclamation of
the league, but in selecting it from the enor-
nous mass in possession of the government
There was sufficient justification in the col
umns of the local newspapers without gong
into the governments confidential reports
Gladstone, he said, had proclaimed the land
league and imprisoned Parnell at time when
parliament was not sitting, and had not even
informed any one concerned Of his grounds
for such action. He quoted from documents
to show that the league was guilty of boy
| cotting, coercion, intimidation, and melting
to breach of the law ami violence
Harcourt asked il the document from which
Balfour quoted would be submitted to the
house
Balfour said the government declined TO
submit them to the house, and continued to
| cite instances of criminal acts on the Part of
the league.
Hsrcourt appealed TO the speaker to decide
| whether Balfour was not bound to lag upon
the table the official documents from which
he cited
The Speaker Mr. Balfour is not bound TO
submit confidential documents With official
papers, which the housa might want to YER
ify, the case would be different
Harcourt, turning to Baifour after the
| speakers ruling. said he would expect the pa
pers to he tabled
Balfour-I shall not submit the papers MY
| documents are of three sorts public conf
Dental and my own privates notes. Ii the
people realized the nature aud workings of
the National league they would support the
| government regardless Ct creed or party.
| Timothy Harrington commented severely
upon the character of the documents which
| the government had quoted but had refused
to lay upon the table, and declared them tc
he utterly worthless He asserted that the
| plain duty of the league was TO continue ITS
work and not shrink from the Consequences.
| Buchanan liberal Unionist said the gov.
ernment's action had been ill-timed Ralfour
be asserted, had not given fair account OF
the doings OF the league which organization
| from the most authentic data the house was
in possession o., had been largely instru
mental in reducing rents III Ireland Tn,
English people, he SAID, desired that the IriSl
difficulty should I've treated amicably
| Russell, member for South Tyrone. aftel
remarking that Gladstone had somew hat mis-
construed some of his (RusselTs, statements
protested against the coercion of the lea. ne
but said that having supported the crime
bill he could not consistently DENY the right
of the government to the powers 1t demand
ed and secured by the passage OF the act.
After remarks from T. F. 0'Connor and
| Bradlaugh the debate was adjourned
An enormous crowd congregated in the pal
ace yard Thursday afternoon to await the ar
| rival at the house OF commons Of Gladstone
and when the Liberal leader finally came h
received an ovation fit for king. Nor dic
the enthusiastic greeting of the grand oil,
man stop here His entrance into the hous
was the signal for burst of cheering, hand
clapping, hat tossing and handkerchief wav
ing that lasted for several minutes. Ii
marked contrast to the reception of Glad
stone by the people assembled outside of tn
parliament house was that accorded by tn
populace to Salisbury, Churchill an,
t1oschen As each of these gentlemen an
peared in view storm of groans, boots an
Kisses arose and increased in volume unit
the objects of the crowds detestation disap
peared from sight.
The scene in the house when Gladston
arose to speak was highly exciting. He wa
tremendously cheered at the beginning of hi
speech and vociferously applauded at the end
and the howls and cat-oalls of the younge
Tories sank into insignificance beneath tn
weight of the avalanche of approving cries
Gladstone was in splendid form HIS VOC
rang out with all of its accustomed clearnes
and resonance, and the vigor of his gesture
betokened excellent health and intense devo
ton to his cause
| GRATrAN AND PARNElU.